Soulmates
by DanieXJ
Summary: A bit of a different take on what happens after the events in the R&I Season Finale "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang". Also a Post-FIN fic.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Soulmates

Spoilers: A Big One for Rizzoli & Isles First season finale, "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang", as well as the Xena Series finale "Friend in Need – Part 2.

Disclaimers: I don't own any of these characters.

Author's Note: Stuff in italics is on another plane of existence.

* * *

Maura was down the stairs of BPD HQ and beat everyone to Jane's side. "Jane, Jane." She knelt down next to the dark haired woman, a thought about the wrinkles her action was causing only briefly passing through her brain.

She put two fingers to Jane's neck and just a teeny tiny bit of the tension went out of her body. Jane had a pulse. She let herself be pushed out of the way as the EMTs took over, working on Jane and getting the detective onto the backboard and stretcher faster than Maura had ever seen it happen.

Maura stayed out of the way, not moving a muscle. She'd seen Jane act the exact same way, it had been just under six years earlier, some big baseball game or other, and after some guy named Dave or Robert or something had stolen a base, though Maura had thought that was weird since it was still on the field until she had read up on the sport. After Robert, Dave, or whatever his name had been had stolen the base Jane had not moved even her eyebrows until a David Ortiz had hit the ball over what seemed like a very short right field wall. And then, she had nearly crushed Maura to death with the hug.

Maura shook herself out of her reverie and before the EMTs could shut the ambulance's door Maura jumped in.

One of the EMTs started to speak, but his partner, a woman who had the last name Lopez on her shirt spoke first, "She's a Doc." Lopez looked over at Maura while she started an IV and worked on Jane, "Doctor Isles. MGH is the best."

Maura tried to speak, but found that nothing came out on the first try. Finally she was able to make a sound, "She's going to Mass General?"

"Yes." The woman paused, "Did she really shoot herself to shoot the guy who had her hostage?"

Maura stared down into the closed eyelids of the nearly deathly white Jane, "Yes."

"That's guts."

Maura finally looked up from Jane and met Lopez's eyes, "That's Rizzoli stupidity."

* * *

_"God, that was stupid." Jane's head reared back, whacking on what felt like soft grass, as a mess of pink entered her vision. "Whoa."_

_"Good, good, you're finally here. Well, c'mon, c'mon now, we have things to do."_

_Jane's hand went down to her gut, nothing, she pulled her shirt up as she sat. "What, damn, am I dead?"_

_"No, not yet. C'mon, c'mon. We have somewhere to be."_

_"Buh..." And then Jane was standing on a boat, men yelling on either side of her and a storm bashing its sides. "Whoa..."_

_The woman in pink winced and snapped her fingers, the yelling's volume seemed to be decreased a bit. "Ooh, sorry 'bout that. I forgot, human ears."_

_"Hu-what, where?"_

_The pink covered woman smiled and gestured around the boat, "It's impressive isn't it." The woman sighed, "Or it would be if this part weren't just so depressing. But I won't spoil it yet, you have to wait for the entrance. It's... awesome."_

_Jane hadn't taken her eyes off of the woman though, "What the hell did they give me, or, am I dead?"_

_The woman sighed again and shook her head, "Fine, fine, you really are her aren't you. I am Aphrodite, usually I'm the Goddess of Love, in your time I'm one of two Greek gods that are still... hangin' around, but today I'm your guide. So," Aphrodite's voice got steely and serious, "watch and listen."_

_Jane was still so stunned and totally out of it that she did what the goddess said. One moment she'd been shooting herself, on purpose, in retrospect not her best plan ever, and then she was on her back staring up at trees instead of the BPD HQ building. A shout went up and Jane looked over the side of the ship, where everyone else was looking as well. _

_Suddenly there was an explosion of water and someone grabbed onto the ladder that had been lowered. It was a woman who was climbing up the ladder. She swung herself onto the deck and ran a hand through her hair. It was short, and very blonde, with just a bit of red in it. Her eyes were an arresting green, and she was short compared to most of the men surrounding her on the ship. She wore a sort of red sports bra looking thing, and a short wrap around skirt of the same color._

The now drenched blonde woman spoke to the one that looked the oldest and most grizzled of the lot. "It's done, get us back to Amphipolis before... just, no more problems. Can you all see to that?"

There were some yes ma'am, some rolled eyebrows and a few of the men just turned and got to work. One didn't, he was the tallest on the ship and one of the broadest as well. He had dark blond hair that hung just above his shoulders, his biceps seemed ready to explode from his arms, and he had on an interesting outfit, leather pants and a yellow, no sleeved shirt. He frowned at the soaking wet woman, "Someone else could have done that Gabrielle."

"By that, you mean you Hercules."

_Jane looked over at Aphrodite, "Did she just say Hercules?" Aphrodite nodded and Jane tilted her head to one side, "Hmm... always thought from the stories he was uglier, and hairier."_

_"Shhhh..."_

Gabrielle stood in front of Hercules, her hands on her hips, "I don't need a babysitter Hercules. Xena saw to that. I don't need you. Go, save a cow or something."

Hercules smiled just a bit, "That's funny. More than her skills rubbed off on you. And, I'm not going anywhere."

Gabrielle made a noise deep in her throat and stormed off towards the bow of the ship. Hercules groaned, "How in Hades did you put up with her Xena."

_Aphrodite sighed, "They were in love..."_

_Jane looked over at the Goddess of Love. She was entirely and totally confused, "Okay. Whichever half of my brain you are, you're gonna have to catch the rest of me up to speed."_

_Aphrodite finally turned and faced the tall detective. "You're not dreaming, or dead. We're here, in the past, watching what happened. We can't change it, just watch, but trust me we're here."_

_"And where is here?"_

_Aphrodite pointed the way that they were going, "That's Greece, where Gabrielle and Hercules are from." She pointed behind them, "We're coming from Egypt."_

_"Why?"_

_Aphrodite waved a finger in front of Jane's face, "Nope. That's for me to know, and you to find out."_

_Jane let out a measured breath, "She's Gabrielle, who's Xena."_

_Aphrodite smiled, "See, there's the detective. Xena is a former warlord, think mob boss, except with lots more swords and much, much more blood and death. But, when she met the blonde force of nature up there." They both looked up where Gabrielle stood at the very tip of the ship, holding her face up to the wind. "She was changed for the better, decided to do good, to kill the bad guys blah, blah, blah. Sure, Herc, sorta led her towards that anyway, but it was Gabs that kept Xena on the track of the greater good. 'Course, she just had to go and get herself killed. Thought that somehow dying was better for some dead souls that she'd killed, sorta, I'm a little fuzzy on the details, happened in Japa. Anyway, she thought that dying would bring more peace to those souls than living would to all the hundreds of more people she could have saved. Stupid really, but, she's only human, mostly."_

_Jane pinched her arm, and winced, "Okay, why am I not waking up."_

_Aphrodite frowned at Jane. "This is not your life flashing before your eyes Jane. Will you believe me?"_

_Jane tilted her head as she regarded the goddess. "Believe a blonde haired woman in all pink, see through pink."_

_Aphrodite sighed, "Just... let go for a minute, or two. Would you like me to fast forward a bit?"_

_"Oh, sure, how about to the end?"_

_Aphrodite ignored Jane's quip. "I'd close your eyes."_


	2. Chapter 2

Maura paced one way, then the other, one, and the other. As she started her path around the waiting room again a hand was placed on her shoulder. "Sit, please."

She was about to when Angela and Frank Sr. walked into the waiting room. Angela stopped in front of Maura and without warning gave the ME a crushing hug. After a moment she stepped back, "She'll be alright?"

It was halfway between a pledge and a question. Maura shook her head, "I'm not sure, they took her into surgery."

Angela looked around the waiting room, it was brimming with police officers, including Korsak and Frost. "They haven't told you anything?"

Maura shook her head again, "She's not dead."

Angela put a hand to her mouth and choked back a sob, "And Frankie?"

Maura tentatively put a hand on Angela's shoulder, and then took it off, "He's also in surgery, but, I did not kill him, and the doctors think he will be alright."

Frank spoke, "We should call back Tommy."

Angela practically snarled, "No. If he doesn't want to be a part of our family, then he won't be."

"Angela."

Maura looked between the husband and wife with a confused look on her face, "I thought he would be with you."

Frank shook his head as Angela went over to Korsak and Frost. Frost stood and Angela took his seat, "He's, I will call him later, when we know more. But he's not coming home." Frank cleared his throat once, then again, "Thank you, for saving my son. The officer who called said that you, you cut into him?" Maura nodded and nearly jumped out of her skin when Frank hugged her.

After a few seconds she pulled away, "I should go, start the autop..."

It was Frost who interrupted her, he stood beside her, "I think Dr. LaManche, Pierre, is doing the autopsy. He called, said that you were welcome to watch, but hoped that you wouldn't."

Frank went to join his wife as Maura looked around, "This, I'm not a police officer."

Frost put an arm around Maura, "Yes, but, you're one of us Dr. Isles. Please. Stay. Uh, the guys want to hear about the Gaynor-Randle case again."

Maura looked confused, "It was a very open and shut case."

Frost smirked just a little, "I don't think that's why they want to hear about it."

Maura frowned for a moment, then it dawned on her, "Oh, the male fantasy of..."

Frost cut her off, clearing his throat, "Yes. But, it will keep everyone's minds off of Frankie and Jane."

"I'll be right over."

Frost gave Maura's shoulder a squeeze. "She'll get through it, she's a tough son of a bitch."

Maura looked towards the doors that led to the surgery suites. "I hope so."

* * *

_Jane was bent at her waist, her hands on her knees. Aphrodite studied the bent woman. "I've never understood why time jumping causes men and women to throw up."_

_Jane slowly straightened up. The two women were on solid ground near a river bank. Aphrodite watched as Jane slowly turned in a circle, taking it all in. As she finished her perusal Gabrielle came into the clearing, walking right through Aphrodite. Jane made a noise, "We're not really here?"_

_Aphrodite shrugged, "Alternate planes, or whatever, yes."_

Gabrielle sat on the grass against a tree and stared at a bunch of bushes for a moment before she turned to the river, and spoke apparently to the air, "Hercules doesn't want me to do anything. He wants me to let you go, move on. He doesn't understand why I can't. Even heard him mumbling something about how you're one person, that he's lost two wives and a best friend." Gabrielle shook her head, "I restrained myself from pointing out that I was supposed to be dead decades ago, and my entire family, your entire family is gone. Or just how much I've lost. I'm realizing that I don't like Hercules too much these days. He thinks I'm still the innocent you picked up here. I've killed, nearly been killed," Gabrielle paused, "gotten you killed."

_"This isn't..."_

_Aphrodite hurfed, "Is all you ever do talk?"_

_Jane shot right back, her hands on her hips, "Only when I'm tripping wicked hard because I've been shot, or am dead, or whatever. Usually I can be quite quiet." Aphrodite stared at Jane who, despite herself smiled a little, "And after that look, I will be."_

_Aphrodite turned back to Gabrielle, "We're here to watch, and you're here to learn."_

_"Learn?"_

Hercules appeared behind Gabrielle and studied her until the short blonde spoke up, "I know you're there Hercules. What do you want?"

Hercules sat down next to Gabrielle, "To convince you not to go after the Efilwen treasure."

Gabrielle shook her head, "I'm not after the treasure, just one stone from it. I promise I'll leave the rest right where I found it."

Hercules put a hand to the back of his neck, "She's gone Gabrielle. It was her time and..."

Gabrielle put a finger up, "One, she chose to die, so, proof it wasn't her time. And two, maybe you made her good, but I kept her that way, not to mention I kept her from doing some idiotic things, oh so many times during our years together. This was her most idiotic. To think that she'd be better for the world if she was dead instead of alive and helping people. Stupid. So, I'll save her from herself, again. That's all I'm doing." She turned back to the river, "She always said that I was her guide when it came to knowing what was right. This is right."

"Gabrielle."

She stared down the demi-god. "Tell me we don't deserve it, after what we've been through, after what... your... family put us through?"

Hercules was silent for a while, "Iolaus didn't really know you, did he?"

Gabrielle stood and held out a hand. Hercules took it and stood as well. "He knew me as a child." She spread her hands in front of her, "This is me as an adult."

Hercules tilted his head, "As an adult, you're a bit of a bitch."

Gabrielle laughed.

_As did Jane. "See, now it's interesting, but, still, don't get it."_

_"Patience."_

_"I'm a Detective. I have to have the case solved before I get to the scene these days."_

_Aphrodite started walking after Hercules and Gabrielle, who seemed to be going back to town. "She'll never change. She'll always be logic and you'll always be emotion."_

_"What?"_

_Aphrodite looked over at Jane with a totally innocent look on her face, "What, what?"_

_Jane shook her head, "Is this going somewhere?"_

_"Them?" Aphrodite pointed at Gabrielle and Hercules. "Just back to town. Us, yeppers." Jane groaned as Aphrodite snapped her fingers again._

_

* * *

_"She's out of surgery. We had to take out her appendix, the bullet shredded it." Angela winced and Catherine did as well, "Sorry. Also, it nicked a few of the other organs as well, kidney, liver, her lung, but we fixed it all and she's in recovery now. But..."

Frank put an arm around Angela as his wife seemed to nearly fall, "Oh, no, oh no."

Catherine put a hand up, "It's not time to panic, I'll tell you when it's time to panic. Detective Rizzoli hasn't come around yet. We're pretty sure that she didn't have head trauma, so she should, it's just a matter of time. We're going to watch her closely though."

Maura was the only one who spoke, she held out a hand and the Trauma surgeon shook it, "Thank you Catherine."

Catherine nodded, "Anything at all, tell Mark or Miranda, their the nurses on duty, they'll find me."

Angela spoke up, "May we see her?"

"Of course. Miranda?"

Miranda gestured towards the hallway and Frank and Angela started to follow her. Maura didn't, but no one noticed. Instead Maura slipped out of the waiting room and took the elevator down to street level. She didn't see anyone or anything as she left MGH via the revolving doors. It was dark, but she didn't notice it as she stepped out of the way of the doors and leaned against the building. She bowed her head and took deep breaths. She'd had such an uncomplicated life until Jane had come into it. Why they were friends, why the two of them so different especially in their upbringing, seemed to constantly help each other instead of get on each other's nerves, it made no logical sense to Maura.

The common misconception was that opposites attracted. Opposite personalities attracted sometimes, but even then, they came from the same background. That was not true of Maura and Jane. And yet. Maura loved Jane. Maura looked up as an ambulance came roaring in. She nodded to herself and looked left. She'd go to the library, clear her head. She looked at her watch, it wasn't yet 8pm, Treadwell would still be open. Facts were good, facts were safe.


	3. Chapter 3

_They were on a path that looked exactly like the one they'd just been on, "I think your snap malfunctioned."_

_Aphrodite looked around, "We're far, far from Potedia." She looked at Jane, "They look the same to you hon?"_

_Jane shrugged, "Not big on the outdoors. So, the point this time?"_

_Aphrodite looked around, "We're far, far from Potedia." She looked at Jane. "They look the same to you?"_

_"Trees, bushes, other, outdoorsy... stuff." Jane shrugged, "Not big on the outdoors. So, the point this time?"_

_Aphrodite rearranged her outfit, "Fine, fine. They're nearly to the treasure. But there are obstacles - and not just the ones that are physically in the cave."_

_Jane glanced at the cave that Aphrodite had indicated, then at Gabrielle and Hercules sitting around a fire. "Can we sit?"_

_Aphrodite waved her hand and two straight backed chairs appeared, "Wouldn't want you to fall asleep. And it's may, not can."_

_Jane shook her head, "You do a good impression of Maura." They watched as Gabrielle gave a yawn and headed to her bedroll. Jane frowned, "We're going to watch her sleep?"_

_"Shhh..."_

Gabrielle lay down and closed her eyes. She could hear as Hercules did as well. Finally he fell silent and Gabrielle opened her eyes. She nearly shouted, but just barely stopped herself. Leaning over her, just as she'd done many times when she was alive, was Xena. The apparition spoke, "Don't do it."

Gabrielle rolled over, but she heard the voice again, "Leave it be."

Gabrielle stood and stalked into the forest. She went and went until she got to the edge of a cliff and stumbled to a halt. She stared out at the night and the moon, a full one. "You stay away for months and months and NOW, you show yourself again." She felt a presence at her back, but didn't turn, "You see, you died and that means that you forfeited any right at all to tell me what to do."

"I know."

Gabrielle closed her eyes, her jaw tight. She steeled herself and turned, "There's one way that you can stop this. Tell me you don't love me."

The apparition in front of Gabrielle didn't speak, or even move.

_Jane glanced at Aphrodite, "Can, uh, I'm gonna call her a ghost, can she see us?"_

_"We're not ghosts, you're not dead."_

_Jane fell silent, rubbing at the scar on the back of her right hand. And they simply watched as Gabrielle and Xena sat on the edge of the cliff until the sun came up and Xena disappeared. Finally Jane broke the silence, "I didn't know that there were lesbians this far back in history."_

_"Oh honey, how can you not... ah, right. Boston Puritan. Forgot. One of the ones who can give gays the right to marry and in the next breath go all red and embarrassed like when talking about the most innocent of sex stuff."_

_"I-"_

_Aphrodite wagged a finger at Jane, "Not joking. Y'all are crazy. Prudes and totally open at the same time. Very complex. And yes, there has been all manner of sort of love since, well, forever." Jane didn't look convinced, "Hey, I'm the goddess of love right, shouldn't I know, ya know?"_

_"I guess. Are you going to show me how she dies and joins her ghost girlfriend?"_

_Aphrodite hurfed, "You're a pain, did you know that?"_

_Jane doffed an imaginary hat, "I've been told that," the smile went from Jane's eyes, "many times by Maura, yeah. Will I die?"_

_"Do you want to?"_

_Jane looked back at Gabrielle, who still hadn't moved since Xena had disappeared, "Did they know they were gay - before they met the other?"_

_Aphrodite watched Jane watching Gabrielle, "Gabrielle. I'm not sure. She was young. Xena, she was - complicated. Does it matter who they thought they were going to fall in love with before they fell in love?" Jane was silent, "They love each other. That love has lasted through many different men for both of them, and even Xena's death." Aphrodite rubbed her hands together. "Okay, so, next part. You ready?"_

_Jane looked up, she'd been lost in thought, like the brooding blonde still sitting on the cliff side. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."_

* * *

They had kicked Maura out of the library at 8, as she knew they would, and Maura had made her way back to the waiting room. She had waited until Frank, Angela, Korsak and Frost had cleared out of Jane's room before she entered. Without thinking she looked at the monitors first, everything was normal. She hadn't thought that she still had that habit. Mostly she just didn't want to look at Jane.

But, she did. The Boston Detective looked so small on the bed. But Jane Rizzoli was alive, despite the fact that she had shot and killed Bobby through herself, Jane was alive. Maura had even heard a half of a conversation between Frost and a patrol officer in the waiting room about the fact that that IA was beside themselves. They didn't quite know how to investigate the shooting, as an officer involved shooting, or as an officer shot investigation. The patrol officer had commented that it was a damn good thing that there had been so many homicide and patrol officers there, or the entire IA department may have spontaneously combust because of the uncertainty. That had gotten a brief chuckle from Frost.

Maura brushed a lock of hair from Jane's forehead. "Your brother's fine, they're going to move him in here soon. I didn't grow up with any siblings, but I believe that you need to wake up so that you can inform him yourself that you out-heroed him by quite a bit. Oh, and I'll take care of Joe Friday, and Bass is doing much better. But, I'd-" Maura paused and frowned down at her fidgeting, "I'd rather have you better and him sick again if you wouldn't mind."

Maura fell silent again, "I guess I'd better go to your apartment and... collect the things that your mother and father though you should have here when you wake up." Maura shook her head, "Your mother is still a bit annoyed that you took your extra apartment key away from her."

Maura stared down at her friend and carefully placed a kiss on Jane's forehead, "It would be good if you were awake when I got back."

A laugh came from the doorway as Angela came in. "Honey, she never does what she's told."

Maura frowned, "Sometimes she does what I tell her to."

A sad smile stayed on Angela's face, "Then she was going to do it already." Angela hugged Maura, "Thank you for saving my boy."

Maura extricated herself after what she hoped was an acceptable amount of time. "I'm glad that he's okay. Since meeting Jane I've worked on more live people than I ever thought I would."

"Well, in Frankie's case you did a great job."

Maura nodded and looked over at Jane. "I'll go get Jane's things."

Angela watched her go and put a hand over Jane's. "That was one of your better friend choices Janie. And boy oh boy have you had some bad doosies."

* * *

Maura stared down at the photo's on Jane's desk. There was one of Frankie and another young guy Maura assumed was Tommy. Another of Frank and Angela, and a third of a very, very young Jane holding a baby Frankie in her arms. It was the final photo that surprised Maura. It was of the two of them. Maura was in her baseball body suit and next to her, with a gigantic grin on her face and an arm around her stood Jane in her own, proper uniform.

Maura had been so surprised when Jane had invited her back to play in another of Homicide's softball games. Right after the photo had been taken of the two of them Frankie had replaced Jane's Boston Homicide hat with a New York Yankees one. Jane had whirled and taken off after him like a bat out of hell, tackling him when she caught up him. They'd both came back, slightly bruised and dirty, and yet smiling. Maura knew that family dynamics were complicated, she'd read the studies, but Frankie and Jane's actions still confused her sometimes, the entire Rizzoli family confused her.

Still, she'd always wondered what it would be like to be a part of the sort of family the Rizzolis were. To be fighting each other one moment and laughing and hugging and loving the same person you just railed at the next.

Maura shook her head and went into Jane's room to retrieve the rest of the needed supplies.


	4. Chapter 4

The waiting room was crowded with police officers. Some in uniform, some off duty, women, men, young, old. Most were staring up at the TV in the corner where it looked like a baseball game was being played.

She started to make her way through the crowd and was surprised when it parted for her. It was Frost who stood from his seat. "Here Doctor Isles. We're watching the game."

Maura wagered a guess, "The Red Sox?"

Korsak nodded, "They're in Seattle, so it just started. Lester's pitching, so we have a chance. But, God I hate late games."

Maura frowned, "I thought they were out of it."

Korsak rolled his eyes, "Nah, they're not outta it 'til the math says they are. First rule of being a Red Sox fan, s'okay to say it's over, but never think it." Korsak glanced over at Maura and hid a smile when he saw the doctor's expression. "Ya know, my mother hated baseball and my father loved it more than anything. What Ma realized after years and years was that she didn't have to love it like Pops did, just be able to watch it. And at some point, she even admitted to me that she came to appreciate the game."

Maura regarded Korsak for a minute, "That was a very polite way to tell me to be quiet and just watch the game."

Korsak inclined his head and looked back up at the game, "You are indeed a genius Doctor Isles."

Maura watched in the requested silence for a bit, "I should..."

Korsak stopped Maura's rise from the chair, "You're our family Maura, if that didn't get into your genius head the last time I said it. Stay."

As Korsak fell silent, suddenly the room sounded like a demented symphony as everyone's phones went off with different ring tones. And then everyone was leaving. Korsak started to speak to Maura, "I can..."

"Go... go."

And the waiting room was empty except for the voices of Don and Jerry. She realized that she missed the low level sound of the guys and gals watching the game just a little. That was weird, because usually she loved silence.

On the table next to her sat a map of MGH's campus. She picked it up and one landmark caught her eye. "The Chapel."

* * *

"All I have to do is kill you. I think."

Hercules pulled the chains that bound him to the cave's wall. All around them glittered gems and other priceless treasures. In one hand Gabrielle held a very pointy blue gem, and in the other a piece of parchment with writing on it. Hercules was trying to break the chains that held him, while Gabrielle just stood perfectly still.

_Jane put a hand to her head, "Nope, too in media res for me. What the hell is going on?"_

_Aphrodite rolled her eyes, "Oh, right, now you come up with the smarts and now you want to take your time and get it all explained."_

_Jane stood next to the goddess, her arms across her chest and waited. And waited. Jane was good at waiting._

_It was Aphrodite who lost the battle of wills, "Fine, fine. They made it through the trials. There was fire, water, a buncha rocks, a bunch more of pointy stick like things. But they got through it all, then Herc over there leaned against a wall and chains clamped onto his ankles and wrists."_

_Jane didn't look convinced, "Really?"_

_Aphrodite harrumphed, "Yes, really. Gabrielle found the scroll and stone. The scroll said that the stone and the one of two worlds, Herc's a demi-god, must become one and then all will be yours."_

_"Vague. Sorta sounds like she's supposed to stab him though."_

_Aphrodite looked over at Jane, "What would you do with it? If you could bring Maura back from the dead, but to do it, you had to kill Frost, or Korsak?" Jane didn't answer, "Another question. Why didn't you kill Hoyt?"_

_Jane put a hand against the wall of the cave, but didn't answer the question. "Look... Aphrodite, why, why am I dreaming about you."_

_Aphrodite looked insulted. "Remember the convo we had, not dreaming?"_

_Jane took a cleansing breath, "Fine, fine, why are we HERE? We can't Do. Anything. She'll kill him or not kill him. She'll be happy for the rest of her life, or sad, but it's already happened. So what's the point?"_

_Aphrodite tilted her head to one side, "Why do you think we're here? And what do you think the point is? Ooh, this part is good. Answer after."_

Gabrielle stared at the parchment. "The whole point of this... thing is to give back life. It doesn't make a bit of sense to have to kill someone to get that. It doesn't."

"I'm all for not killing me."

"Shut up."

"Gabrielle."

Gabrielle laughed. "Great Artemis, of course." She looked Hercules right in the eyes, "Do not move."

"Gabrielle, what are you going to..."

Gabrielle approached Hercules and then the blue crystal was descending towards the demi-god, and then. With an explosion of not just blue, but red, and green, and purple and yellow and all the colors of the rainbow happened as the crystal hit the wall. And Hercules was covered with rainbow goo, but only for a moment, it all seemed to disappear into him and there was a blinding flash of pure white light.

A groan came from behind Gabrielle and she whirled. "X-" She didn't hesitate, but bowled the dark haired woman over as she tried to get to her feet.

They landed in a pile of coins of some sort, Gabrielle hugging the former warlord so hard oxygen couldn't get into her newly resurrected lungs. Xena coughed, "Gabs..."

"Oh..." She leaned farther into her soulmate and kissed her. Just like they had on that awful mountain, sans the water of course. And kissed her, and this time Xena didn't care if she ever got air into her lungs again.

Hercules cleared his throat, "Uh, guys, is someone going to get me out of these chains?"

_Aphrodite looked over at Jane. "So, what's the point?"_

_"Appreciate what I have, before I have to go resurrecting... people?"_

_"Hotter."_

_Jane looked away from the happy scene in front of her. "That love transcends death?"_

_"Colder."_

_"There is no point, and this is just a crazy dream caused by some sort of horrible trauma." Aphrodite glowered at Jane who glowered back, "Aphrodite... Damnit."_

_"Listen." Jane made a face, but listened to Xena and Gabrielle._

"Love, this..."

Gabrielle put her fingers on Xena's lips. "I will love you forever, through time and in every world, I've said it, you've said it, and I mean it, but I just... trust me, there's more that you need to do in this world first."

Xena brushed her fingers against Gabrielle's cheek, "And if I choose to go back to Amphipolis, restart my mother's inn, never pick up a sword again?"

Gabrielle laughed, "Then the people will come to you. Hey, and," she gave Xena a shove, which produced a smile on the dark haired one's lips, "next time just let me save you instead of having to go through all this rigmarole? Hmmm..."

Xena kissed the tip of Gabrielle's nose and wrapped her arm around the shorter blonde's waist. "You really think that I deserve any of this? You? Being alive?"

"Yes."

"Damnit Xena, Gabrielle."

Xena bit her lip to keep from smirking. "Think we should help him?"

Gabrielle shrugged, "Or, we could kiss some more."

A low grumble came from the man chained to the wall and Xena chuckled, "He did sorta, well, get goo'd so I could come back to life."

"Fine, fine..."

Xena smiled and kissed the tip of Gabrielle's nose. "There'll be time for everything else later."

"There better be." She turned to the piles of stuff, "So, you'd think that there'd be a key somewhere in all of this, right?"

_"So, what, I'm Xena and Maura's Gabrielle?"_

_Aphrodite pursed her lips, "Do you love her like that? You're friends, but X and Gabby, they're more than friends, they're soulmates, in a - I wanna screw your brains out way - not a hugging and watching each others' turtles way."_

_"Soulmates? God, I'm stuck in a sci fi book."_

_Aphrodite tilted her head from side to side, "Soulmate stuff is usually more like Fantasy."_

_Jane frowned, "Isn't that the same thing?"_

_Aphrodite hurfed, "You really think that The Lord of the Rings are Science Fiction books?"_

_Jane focused all her attention on Aphrodite. "You read?"_

_Another hurf from the one draped in pink, "I'm a goddess, not an idiot. His world building is legendary. Now, Dune, that could be both..." Aphrodite trailed off as she saw that Jane was focused on the two Greeks again. She cleared her throat, "Now we're about done."_

_"Wait." Jane put a hand on Aphrodite's shoulder. "Can you... Are you able to show me their... their future. If... I mean, even back here, when no one was in your business 24/7, and people could go live and be left alone, I mean. Hercules accepts them, but he wore lions on his head and stuff. This wasn't... uh..."_

_"Easy." Aphrodite looked at Jane out of the corner of her eye, "Jane, I'm the goddess of love. Not once have I seen a love that was easy last. Don't tell my brother,"_

_"Brother?"_

_"Ares. Every day that we love someone is a day we have to fight to keep that love. Great love, it's never easy. Trust me. Are you ready to go back. Or... I mean, there's two choices, one's hard. Go back, live. The other, I'll let you move on."_

_"Move on?"_

_"Die Jane Die."_

_"Oh."_

_Aphrodite looked one way, then the other. "Let's uh, I'm not supposed to do this, but let me show you something." Aphrodite snapped and they were in MGH's Chapel. _

_Jane knew that if she left via the door the gift shop would be right across the way. She gave half a glance at the beautiful stained glass window above the alter in the front. She'd never been able to enter the Chapel without looking up there. But she didn't look at anything else other than the woman that was alone at the very front of the Chapel on her knees. "Oh Maura."_

Maura stared up at the beautiful glass. "I, I don't know how to do this really well God. Please forgive me for that. Whatever it is that you want, my life, Bass's life, my... my smarts or, whatever. Take it, please, just, help Jane to wake up and to be who she was - before." Maura paused, then stood and sat in a chair near the front. "Now, uh, now God I'm going to sit here in quiet reflection, because it is supposed to help reduce one's stress."

_Jane chuckled, "Oh Maura..." She turned to Aphrodite. "Yes. I want to go back."_

_"It's gonna hurt like a mother..."_

_Jane held up her hands and wiggled her fingers. "Stabbed in the hands by a psycho who's sole purpose in life is to... get my attention, which he thinks of as flirting with me via acts of horrible violence. Little gunshot, wicked easy. I-" Jane swallowed, "I don't give into fear."_

_Aphrodite held her hands up. "You won't remember any of this... but..." She touched a spot in between Jane's breasts, "You will feel it in here."_

_Jane frowned, "What?"_


	5. Chapter 5

Breath exploded from Jane and her eyes flew open. The last thing she remembered was being in the morgue. Her head jerked one way, then the other. Maura. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting her heart slow down. She looked out the window, it was almost dawn.

She felt the need to get up, to go somewhere. She unhooked herself and stuck her head into the hallway. It was empty. She frowned as she looked the other way at the nurses station. It was empty too. That would explain why no nurses had come running when she'd unhooked her monitors. She shrugged and started walking. Not quite sure where she was going.

She came to a room she'd had some time in. The chapel. Jane let her breath go. She could see Maura sitting in the front pew. She slowly made her way up to join the blonde ME, and sat down next to her. "Hey."

Maura's head whipped around, "Jane." She crushed her in a hug, but only for a second before Jane yelped. "What are you doing here. You shot yourself, you should be in bed, or, or... are you okay?"

Jane put two fingers on Maura's lips, and after a beat, replaced them with her lips. The dark haired detective could feel surprise in Maura's lips, but then Maura was kissing back, and it felt right, it felt perfect. Jane groaned and pulled away, whatever drugs they had given to her to stop the pain had stopped working. "Oh God, that hurts..."

Maura wiped a bit of lipstick from around Jane's lips, "That because you shot yourself."

"No." Jane shook her head, "Really?"

Maura frowned at her friend, "You don't remember?"

Jane shook her head again, "Nope. Didn't die though. How about...?"

Maura cut her off, "Frankie's fine. Bobby's dead."

Jane looked up towards the amazing blue stained glass window, and crossed herself. "Thank you."

"You're..." Maura trailed off with a sheepish look on her face, "Sorry."

Jane laughed and wrapped an arm around Maura. "Never stop being you. Uh... and would you help me back to my room before Ma or one of the nurses yells at me for taking a walkabout?"

* * *

_A gruff voice spoke from behind Aphrodite as she stood in the doorway and watched the two women hobble back into the room. "You don't even know if they are the souls of Xena and Gabrielle."_

_Aphrodite sighed and but didn't turn to look at her brother, "Can't you see it?"_

_"You could ask the Fates, they'd tell you, not me, but they'd tell you."_

_Aphrodite rolled her eyes, "That's because they don't like being given orders Ares. And I don't need them to tell me. I know."_

_"You might be wrong."_

_Aphrodite shrugged, "Maybe I am, but really, in the long run does it matter why they've been brought together, because of their souls, which you know as well as I do were intertwined very much before Xena and Gabby."_

_Aphrodite could feel Ares looking over her shoulder at the two on the bed. Finally he grunted, "Gah, she's smiling in her sleep."_

_Aphrodite rolled her eyes again and turned away, taking her brother by the arm, "C'mon big brother, let's leave them in peace, 'cause, if they do have the souls, well, they won't have too many entirely peaceful moments."_

_Ares tilted his head to one side, "Let me guess, just happy ones."_

_Aphrodite smiled. "Foxholes can be very romantic, especially ones in Boston." Aphrodite whacked herself on the head, "Ooh, almost forgot." She snapped her fingers and then let out a breath, "Phew."_

_Ares winced, "Do I want to know? Neither of them are gonna get pregnant or anything are they?"_

_"What, of course not. Lesbians, pregnant, there are enough of those. No, just taking care of poor Bass."_

_Ares shook his head, "The turtle. I'm outta here."_

_Aphrodite grasped Ares' hand before he could disappear, "Will Afghanistan be done anytime soon big brother?"_

_Ares glowered through Aphrodite. "Unless you're planning on mojo-ing the entire world, no." A rare sigh came from him, "And if you could work on the mojo over the world thing, I wouldn't get in the way."_

_"Ares?"_

_"War is one thing, but this isn't just about power, or land, or whatever, this is the most potent hate I have ever seen..." He shook his head, "I'm glad that you kept X and Gabrielle's souls closer together. Later sis."_

_Ares disappeared in a shower of blue sparkles. Aphrodite turned and had one more look at the now two sleeping women, their chests rising and falling together. "One couple at a time, love will win over hate."_

* * *

Even though she'd been back in her room when the nurses and Angela Rizzoli had reappeared, somehow they'd known that she'd gone out to find Maura, and she'd gotten yelled at anyway. But she found that she didn't really care. She was alive, and she'd kissed Maura, not to mention Maura had kissed back, and then not run away screaming. All good things.

Honestly Jane wasn't sure how her and Maura's relationship was gonna go, but she didn't regret kissing Maura, and wanted to try for more. A lesbian. She'd never even wondered if she was. She'd never had a great time with guys, but that was usually her fault, not theirs. It would be going fine, and then they'd want to take control, they'd want to change her, make her love pink and frilly things, and the ones that lasted that long, they'd want her to take a desk job.

Maura, she knew who Jane was. Knew more of her past and her secrets than anyone else in the world, and yet she'd still kissed back.

She hummed to herself for a moment, then spoke, "She's the Church of England, She's Ginger.

She's got Dutch-Boy Fingers

She's a MOT, a member of the tribe

She's a Gold Star, Got her ID Card." She lapsed back into humming until there was a knock on her doorway. Maura. "Maura."

"Have you survived your mother?"

Jane smiled, "I have."

Maura nodded, "Good. Good. They won't let Frankie out to see you, or you out to see Frankie yet. So, I've been tasked with making sure you're set for the day."

Jane rolled her eyes, "Parents staying with the youngest, go figure."

"He doesn't seem to be coping quite as well with his experience as you are."

Jane winced, "Yeah, that's weird, isn't it. I do seem sorta laissez-faire about the whole thing. I can't explain it."

Maura came a bit closer and closed the door behind her, "Perhaps it just hasn't hit you yet."

Jane shrugged, "Or maybe because I had the control I'll be okay."

Maura raised her eyebrows, "So, because you shot yourself..."

"I had control."

Maura put her hand next to Jane's on the hospital bed. "Jane Rizzoli, always in control." The ME nodded, "Okay. If you need anything I'll have my cell, but I should-"

"Maura, please, stay. I..." Jane gave a self-deprecating sigh, "I'm tired, and, when..." Jane paused, "I don't want to sleep if I have nightmares... I..."

"Of course Jane. I can..."

"Here." Jane put her hand on the left side of the bed, "Please."

Maura tilted her head to one side, "It is significantly smaller than your or my bed."

Jane shook her head, "Never mind."

Maura suddenly got shorter, "Oh, I was simply pointing out that fact, I said I would be here for whatever you needed, I am here." She climbed onto the hospital bed and seemed to sort of halfway hover here and there over Jane, not sure where to put her legs or arms. "I don't want to hurt you."

Jane smiled and closed her eyes, "You won't. I'm so doped up..."

"Ah, mental pain, not physical. I understand."

Jane opened one eye and peered over at Maura, "Okay. What's that from?"

"Imzadi, a book by Peter David, he has written some very structurally complex novels. Q-Squared has multiple plot strings that come together and fall apart in an inexor..."

"Maura..." Maura fell silent, "What's the book about?"

Maura looked out the window of the room. "Soulmates..." She cleared her throat, "Uh, among other things like aliens trying to steal precious items from a Betazoid museum and a naked wedding."

Jane laughed, "Naked wedding?"

Maura nodded, then laid her head down on Jane's shoulder. "Sorry, is this an okay position?"

Jane's eyes drifted closed as she yawned just a little, "Perfect."

Maura waited until she heard Jane's breathing even out and felt sleep take hold of the dark haired woman. She looked up at the ceiling of the room. "Thank you."

* * *

~Fin - September 29th, 2010


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